• Baylor is coming off a 31-28 season and lost RHP Logan Verrett and RHP/OF Brooks Pinckard in the first 10 rounds of the 2011 draft, but the Bears just narrowly missed making our preseason Top 25. They have a team loaded with experienced upperclassmen, starting with sweet-swinging Jr. 1B Max Muncy (.322/.428/.511, 10 2B) and polished Jr. LHP Josh Turley (4-5, 3.39, 96 IP/63 SO). The keys to Baylor’s season may be how well Jr. RHP Max Garner (2-4, 3.12, 49 IP/42 SO, 8 SV) makes the transition from closer to No. 2 starter, and how much improvement physical Jr. 3B Cal Towey (.244/.404/.397) and athletic Jr. OF Logan Vick (.213/.329/.305) can make.

• After making seven straight NCAA regionals from 2003-09, Missouri missed the tournament the last two seasons. Pitching could lead the Tigers back to the regionals, as they have a nice mix of veterans and newcomers on the mound. Jr. RHP Eric Anderson (3-0, 4.93, 46 IP/26 SO) is fully recovered from shoulder surgery in 2010, and he’ll form a strong weekend rotation with So. LHP Rob Zastryzny (2-5, 4.33, 87 IP/70 SO) and Jr. RHP Blake Holovach (4-3, 6.06, 68 IP/47 SO at Coffeyville, Kan., CC). The bullpen will be in the hands of freshmen Brett Graves and Brandon Platts, both of whom were drafted last June.

• Jr. LHP Andrew Heaney (7-4, 4.03, 67 IP/51 SO) gives Oklahoma State the best southpaw in the Big 12, but the Cowboys’ pitching took a hit when hard-throwing So. RHP Jason Hursh (1-1, 2.73, 30 IP/10 SO) had Tommy John surgery last summer. He’ll miss the entire season, so Oklahoma State will need more production from Sr. RHP Blake Barnes (3-1, 3.38, 45 IP/30 SO). The Cowboys lost three of their top four hitters from a year ago, leaving Sr. 3B Mark Ginther (.292/.337/.517, 17 2B, 10 HR) to carry the offense.

• The Big 12 figures to be very competitive throughout the league. Texas Tech should be plenty offensive, led by two of the conference’s most talented players, Jr. OFs Barrett Barnes (.290/.414/.509, 10 HR) and Jamodrick McGruder (.293/.470/.391, 28 SB). Kansas State is led by another of the Big 12’s best athletes—So. OF Jared King (.307/.365/.534, 8 HR, 13 SB) and a decent group of senior position players, but the pitching staff must replace its top three arms. Kansas is similarly inexperienced but talented on the mound, led by Jr. RHP Thomas Taylor (5-3, 4.74, 57 IP/54 SO), who can reach 92 and has improved his breaking ball. The pick to click is Jr. RHP Tanner Poppe, who moves from the rotation to the back of the bullpen, where his 90-94 mph fastball could be dominant. The centerpiece of the lineup is Sr. 3B Zac Elgie (.297/.339/.520, 7 HR), a seasoned gap-to-gap hitter who will make better use of his strong arm this spring, moving from first base to third.

• Nebraska left the Big 12 for the Big Ten this year, and that’s just the start. Missouri and Texas A&M will bolt for the Southeastern Conference next season, while West Virginia (Big East) and Texas Christian (Mountain West) will arrive in 2012. Along with current Big 12 members Baylor, Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech, the Horned Frogs were part of the old Southwest Conference, which disbanded after the 1996 season.